...The major factor responsible for the recurring nature of influenza epidemics is antigenic variation of the surface glycoproteins of influenza viruses. These changes lead to renewed susceptibility of persons infected previously so that reinforcement and illness may also occur. Epidemics occur annually, although they vary considerably in severity and intensity, the peak of acute respiratory illness causing persons to seek medical care always coincides with the peak influenza virus activity. Evans and Kaslow (1997) indicates that traditionally, the impact of influenza epidemics has been measured by estimating excess mortality, a finding specific for influenza and primarily occurring among the aged and chronically ill persons. However, recent surveys have shown that only about one quarter of patients hospitalised with ARDs during influenza epidemics are 65 years of age or older and that only 31 % have underlying chronic conditions for which vaccine is recommended. The most common causes of acute respiratory illnesses is as a result of influenza viruses, affecting all ages in...
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...The Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 The Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 is said to be the Mother of all Pandemics. A Pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease. It occurs when a influenza virus emerges and spreads around the world. About one third of the whole world’s population was infected by the epidemic.“All influenza A pandemics since that time have been caused by descendants of the 1918 virus.” (1918 Influenza: the Mother of All Pandemics Vol. 12, No. 1, Jan. 2006)The cause of the influenza links to“ avian and swine influenza were unknown.” It has been one of the world’s worst sicknesses recorded by man. There were two waves of the epidemic. The first wave of the sickness started in the spring of 1918 and was mild. The people...
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...this wonderful new development through investment that will be a trickle down effect to community * underdvelepment countries have to provide incentive for corps to go to their country * 1940 unlimited scale and new chemicals at virtually no cost * petrochemical era grew - > pose hazard, but they were all trivial and anecotocal * a body of data starting accumulating -> synthetic chemicals -> air water, cancer, birth defects, and other toxic affects * most industries knew about it and attempted to trivialized these risks * it’s a crime to take a gun and shoot you, but its not if I expose u to chemicals that are going to kill you because it takes longer to kill you * we are in a major cancer epidemic - > industry is largely responsible for overwehleomg ep of cancer ½ men get cancer 1/3 women get caner in their life time * rbgh gien to cows since FDA decalred it safe - > heart lng idsney spleen...
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...Economics Discussion how a Epidemic can affect a country's economy The countries involved in an epidemic will immediately suffer in a population crisis where the average age of mortality decreases. More children will be born dead or carrying the TB at a very early stage. Countries that were mentioned in the context are most of them developing countries for instance India, Indonesia and South Africa. Poor average education and high unemployment are huge percent numbers in these countries and a epidemic could cause even more problems with the labor in a country if adults are dying. Result of these problems will eventually lead to a non-consumed agricultural resources since the eventual transmission of knowledge will fail in shortage of both labor and competent people. A starvation will break out due the shortage of food. The development of social and economical aspects will also decrease or stop completely. Progresses involving better healthcare and greater survival number of babies will suffer also suffer from epidemics. Possibilities of helping people will also become completely removed because of the shortage of competent staff and economical issues. The level of education will also decrease due the financial problems, schools will shut down and bad teacher salaries will not attract as many students becoming teachers because of the tough education. Regular working man and women will also have to quite their jobs to take care of their sick/infected relatives...
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...The 1967 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak was a major outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom. The only centre of the disease, in contrast to the three concentrated areas in the 2001 crisis, was on the Wales border with Shropshire.[1] France and other EU countries were also affected by the crisis.[ Background There were three official inquires into the foot-and-mouth epidemics and the Government’s response in the fifty years prior to the 1967 outbreak. These occurred in 1922, 1923-1924, and 1953.[2] In the 1950s, there was a substantial outbreak across the United Kingdom. Of the thirteen years leading up to the 1967 outbreak, there were only two years that there was no reported outbreak.[2] During this period, foot-and-mouth was prevalent across Europe. Outbreak In October 1967, a farmer from Bryn Farm in the county of Shropshire, concerned by the health of one of their sows, sought veterinary advice and the animal was found to have contracted foot-and-mouth disease. Bryn Farm was immediately put into quarantine and general animal movement was banned. The virus rapidly spread to the nearby Ellis Farm. Two cows from the latter had already been sent to market, leaving the farmers in a vulnerable position.[3] In the following months, over 2,364 outbreaks were detected in the United Kingdom.[4] Ninety-four percent of the cases occurred in North-West Midlands and North Wales.[2] Reports The Minister for Agriculture, Frederick Peart, appointed a committee...
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...children advertiser then began to pay attention on it too. After symbolic advertising strategy were widely used, the message of all advertising were involving distinctive or “cool”, and the children or adult were rather to choose produce base on its coolness than its characteristics. The food has already become a social tool for interrelationship development and self recognization. However, the word “cool” can be defined in a broad ways, it also can be misused in the wrong area and provide inappropriate implication to people. For example, using cool in junk food related advertisement, so younger people will misinterpret that consuming junk food is a cool way to express themselves. After eating too much high calorie food products, the global epidemic disease, obesity starts to bring extreme harm to junior people. To prevent this high risk disease spread, actions need to be performed by well studied the effectiveness of the symbolic...
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...• ^ International Committee on onomy of Viruses. "The Universal Virus Database, version 4: Influenza A". http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/ICTVdB/00.046.0.01.htm. [dead link] 1. ^ a b c d e f "Swine influenza". The Merck Veterinary Manual. 2008. ISBN 1442167424. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121407.htm. Retrieved April 30, 2009. 2. ^ [1][dead link] 3. ^ Heinen PP (15 September 2003). "Swine influenza: a zoonosis". Veterinary Sciences Tomorrow. ISSN 1569-0830. http://www.vetscite.org/publish/articles/000041/print.html. "Influenza B and C viruses are almost exclusively isolated from man, although influenza C virus has also been isolated from pigs and influenza B has recently been isolated from seals." 4. ^ Bouvier NM, Palese P (September 2008). "THE BIOLOGY OF INFLUENZA VIRUSES". Vaccine 26 Suppl 4 (Suppl 4): D49–53. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.07.039. PMC 3074182. PMID 19230160. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=3074182. 5. ^ Kimura H, Abiko C, Peng G et al. (April 1997). "Interspecies transmission of influenza C virus between humans and pigs". Virus Research 48 (1): 71–9. doi:10.1016/S0168-1702(96)01427-X. PMID 9140195. 6. ^ a b Matsuzaki Y, Sugawara K, Mizuta K et al. (February 2002). "Antigenic and Genetic Characterization of Influenza C Viruses Which Caused Two Outbreaks in Yamagata City, Japan, in 1996 and 1998". Journal of Clinical Microbiology 40 (2): 422–9. doi:10.1128/JCM.40.2.422-429...
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...The high risk groups are the ones most likely to end up hospitalized or to ultimately die from influenza. Yearly worldwide flu epidemics can be as high as three to five million severe cases or illness and death rate as high as five hundred thousand. The influenza Virus is transmitted easily, and spreads quickly in large groups (schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and dorms) When a person with influenza sneezes or coughs the droplets (that contains the virus) are now airborn anyone who breathes this in can be infected. The influenza virus is easily spread, so those hands that have been contaminated with the flu virus can spread from person to person quickly. Preventing transmission is key, people should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue whenever sneezing or coughing and wash hands with hot soapy water regularly. The best way to prevent influenza is to receive the vaccine. Those healthy adults vaccinated will be protected even if virus is...
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...The influenza virus, as stated by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services (2004), is a severe communicable respiratory disease that has three alternate types as well as a variety of strains, where common symptoms across the board include fever, headache, muscle pain, lethargy, nasal congestion, sore throat and cough. Other symptoms, particularly in children, may also include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These symptoms when severe can lead to potential death. Contributing to its communicability are the reservoirs of the virus. Primarily, influenza is known to be harboured in humans, making them the primary reservoir. However, recent research has evoked suspicion of animals also having the ability to act as a reservoir for new arising influenza strains. This of which is assumed to occur when humans and animals live in close proximity to each other resulting in increased interspecies contact. Furthermore, the influenza virus is in general transmitted from person to person through direct contact with respiratory aerosols and secretions from an...
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...Epidemiology by definition is the study of the distribution and patterns of health-events, health- characteristics and their causes or influences in well-defined populations. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive medicine. Epidemiologists are involved in the design of studies, collection and statistical analysis of data, and interpretation and dissemination of results (including peer review and occasional systematic review).Major areas of epidemiological study include outbreak investigation, disease surveillance and biomonitoring, and comparisons of treatment effects such as in clinical trials. Epidemiologists rely on a number of other scientific disciplines such as biology (to better understand disease processes), biostatistics (to make efficient use of the data and draw appropriate conclusions), and exposure assessment and social science disciplines (to better understand proximate and distal risk factors, and their measurement). I would like to discuss elderly patients as my vulnerable population. There is no set age at which a person maybe under the care of a geriatric physician. The physician aims to promote health by preventing disease and disabilities in geriatric adults. A gerontologist specializes in the aging process. Adult medicine differs from the geriatric patient because the focus is on the elderly...
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...Influenza July 20, 2014 Introduction Influenza also known as “Flu” is a contagious disease that affects mammals and birds. It is a viral disease that is caused by influenza viruses of the family orthomyxoviridae, which affects the lungs, throat, nose and other parts of the respiratory system. Most people tend to confuse influenza with common cold, stomach flu and other flu like illnesses, but influenza is a viral and deadly disease that is characterized with muscle pains, headache, runny nose, sore throat, high fever, colds, fatigue, nasal congestion, dry cough, vomiting and nausea. Different people may exhibit symptoms and signs of influenza differently, but most children tend to vomit and experience nausea when infected with the virus. Although influenza affects people of all ages, young children, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses and low body immunity and the aged are at a high risk of developing influenza and suffering from its complications. In most cases, children and old people affected with influenza tend to develop and suffer from other risk complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, and other respiratory illnesses (Emmanuel, 2009). Pneumonia is a common complication that develops when the disease is not identified and treated on time thus leading to viral or bacterial pneumonia. Like other infectious diseases, influenza is a viral disease that is transmitted from one person to another through air. In essence...
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...means new, unique, different, unusual and different. All of these meanings fit for the use of the word novel in this case (2009 H1N1 Flu, 1). The novel influenza virus that circulated in the U.S. and other parts of the world is a unique combination of swine and human influenza viruses. This virus is transmitted from person to person, not from pigs to humans (CDC website). The novel influenza A H1N1 spreads just like the seasonal flu. Flu viruses spread from a person sneezing or coughing who has contracted the virus. It is also possible to become affected by touching something that has the flu virus on it (Such as a door knob, toilet handle) and then touching your mouth or nose. People who have contracted a flu virus have the potential to be contagious as long as they have symptoms and possibly up to seven days after they have become ill. Children, especially young children can be contagious for longer than seven days (H1N1 Fact Sheet, 1). Some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent hand washing or using an alcohol based hand gel will help you reduce the chances of becoming ill after touching these surfaces (H1N1 Fact Sheet, 2). Symptoms According to a WIC clinic informational sheet developed by the Iowa Department of Public Health, the symptoms of novel influenza A H1N1 or just H1N1 for short are very similar to the symptoms of the regular seasonal flu. These symptoms include: fever, cough, sore throat, runny...
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...Excelsior College Microbiology 212/ Dr. Odeh Raichell Fuentes December 4, 2014 Avian Flu Viral Disease Avian influenza is used to describe influenza A subtypes that primarily affect chickens, turkeys, quail, geese. Avian influenza is an ecological classification. Outbreaks of influenza have been recognized in poultry (chickens and turkeys) for many years. Avian influenza strains are classified according to disease severity recognized forms: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as fowl plague, and low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). Avian influenza viruses that cause HPAI are highly virulent, and mortality rates in infected flocks often very high. LPAI viruses are generally of lower virulence, but these viruses can serve as progenitors to HPAI viruses. Human infections caused by avian strains have been associated with HPAI (H5, H7, and H9) . Infected birds spread the virus per nasal secretion, saliva, feces. They have swollen necks and a bluish coloring around their neck. Human symptoms effect respiratory tract to a rapid pneumonia. Treatment is the best prevention to increase the chances of getting the avain flu viral disease. Prevention is to avoid contaminated environment and places and live poultry markets and practice good hygiene. The World population want to defuse a risk of a full blown epidemic . Hello to Members of Congress. Thank you for this moment in time to discuss a bill that would protect the health and wellness in people within the World...
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...Influenza Disease Linnette Corona Grand Canyon University (NRS-427V) 06/14/2014 Influenza Disease Influenza is an infectious viral disease also commonly known as ‘flu’ that is caused by diverse strains of influenza viruses. The virus belongs to ‘Orthomyxoviridae’ which is a distinct group of virus family. This virus comprises of a single stranded, segmented RNA (Jeffery et. al, 2008). Influenza (flu) virus primarily attacks the respiratory system and is highly transmissible. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC (2014) “the virus may infect the nose, throat and lungs.” The disease can cause mild to severe illness often resulting in hospitalization or death. The viral strains of influenza viruses are constantly changing and appear regularly that are responsible for many pandemics around the world (Taubenberger & Morens 2008). Clinical Course Influenza is a contagious disease; the virus is easily transmitted from person to person via respiratory droplets when infected people cough, talk or sneeze. Another way to get infected with influenza is if the person touches its own mouth or nose after having direct contact with a surface that has the influenza virus (CDC, 2014). The influenza virus may be transmitted one day before the first symptoms start and even up to seven days after getting ill with the flu. In seasonal epidemics, influenza tends to spread rapidly. As reported by the CDC (2014), the infection may seem like...
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...Epidemiology Paper Name: Course: Date: Epidemiology Paper Influenza or simply flu is one of the most devastating communicable diseases. This is because it is transmitted through the air we breathe. This simply means that being in the company of a mammal or bird that is infected is more than good enough reason for one to get infected (Naff, 2011). Influenza is caused by an influenza virus which can be of one of three types. Type A and B results to a high degree of infections. These two types are responsible for severe respiratory infections and in some cases death. Influenza virus type C on the other hand does not lead to severe respiratory infection and only causes minimal respiratory infections with little or no symptoms at all. The influenza virus is capable of modifying itself once in the body of the host. This occurs through mutation whereby vaccinations and treatment develop antibodies that go against the virus. Naff (2011) explains that this causes the virus to adjust for its survival and as a result develop into a new form that the antibodies do not see as harmful. The virus therefore has the capability of infecting a host at any time. However, it is possible for initial antibodies to recognize the mutated virus as a harmful component thereby limiting the degree of infection. In the epidemic involving the H1N1 virus in 2009, very few individuals had antibodies that could fight the virus. The flu has a number of symptoms which...
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